Foods Highest in Selenium

Quick answer

In our data the foods with the highest selenium per 100 g are Pork Kidney (312 µg), Brazil nuts (280 µg), Brazil nuts (UK record) (254 µg). This ranks the 640 foods that have a selenium value out of 790 relevant foods; dried foods and spices are listed separately because they are concentrated. Values come unchanged from USDA FoodData Central, UK CoFID and the Canadian Nutrient File.

Top foods by category

• Fruits: Peaches (2.1 µg), 55 foods with a value
• Vegetables: Mushroom, brown (26 µg), 172 foods with a value
• Nuts & Seeds: Brazil nuts (280 µg), 16 foods with a value
• Legumes: Tofu (28.5 µg), 39 foods with a value
• Grains: Vital wheat gluten (39.7 µg), 30 foods with a value
• Meat & Poultry: Pork Kidney (312 µg), 118 foods with a value
• Fish & Seafood: Crab, brown meat (225 µg), 103 foods with a value
• Dairy & Eggs: Egg, yolk (56 µg), 93 foods with a value
• Traditional foods: Sheefish (42.3 µg), 14 foods with a value

Full ranking: 640 foods by selenium per 100 g

Dried foods and spices (ranked separately)

Coverage and limitations

• 640 of 790 relevant foods have a selenium value; 150 are not ranked because the source has none.
• All amounts are per 100 g of the food as described by the source record, in µg. Preparation is shown for every row and is never merged: the same food cooked differently is a separate record.
• Ranks are positions in this dataset only. Food composition varies by variety, season and processing.
• We do not show recommended intakes or health claims on this page. It is general information and not medical advice. Read more in About our data.

Questions about selenium in foods

Which food has the most selenium in this dataset?

Pork Kidney has the highest selenium value in our ranking: 312 µg per 100 g (USDA SR Legacy record 167860). This is the highest among the 640 foods with a value, not a statement about every food in existence.

What do the numbers mean?

Each value is the amount of selenium in µg per 100 g of the food as described by the source record, for the preparation shown on that row. The unit is µg.

How complete is the data for selenium?

640 of the 790 relevant foods in our data have a selenium value (81%). 150 have no usable value and are not ranked; a missing value is never treated as zero.

Why are dried foods and spices listed separately?

Dried foods, powders and spices are measured in a concentrated form, so they would outrank fresh foods per 100 g. We rank 75 such foods separately (the highest is Mustard seeds at 208 µg).

Where do the values come from?

One source record is used per food, in a fixed order: USDA FoodData Central (Foundation Foods, then SR Legacy), then UK CoFID, then the Canadian Nutrient File. Values are never averaged. In this ranking: USDA SR Legacy (497 foods), UK CoFID (83 foods), Canadian CNF (37 foods), USDA Foundation (23 foods).

Tools for this nutrient

• Calculate how much of a food provides a nutrient amount
• Explore food combinations for nutrient targets